Civilian base worker nabbed for DUI on Sunday

A civilian base worker was arrested Sunday on suspicion of DUI after being involved in a car crash early in the morning in Okinawa City.

Okinawa Prefectural Police arrested 24-year-old Francis Shayquain Eliyah after he allegedly failed a stop sign at an intersection and collided with a car approaching the intersection from the right. The Japanese male driver of the car complained of neck pain, and was taken to a hospital. However, police say that he did not have any major injury.

A police patrol that arrived at the scene after an eyewitness called the 110 emergency number administered a breathalyzer test that showed Eliyah had four times the legal limit of alcohol in his breath.

When questioned, the suspect denied the allegations, but admitted that he had had drinks the previous day.

Eliyah was arrested right after ending of the month-long period of unity and mourning, and easing of the off-base drinking ban that also civilian SOFA-status base workers were urged to observe. The Okinawa Area Coordinator and Commanding General of the III MEF lifted the ban just on Friday.